Apparatus for delivering and applying adhesive tape or the like



March 10, 953 G. K. CHARLES 2,

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING AND APPLYING ADHESIVE TAPE OR THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1952 4 h ts-Sheet l Inventor By a Attorney CHARLES 2,630,933

March 10, 1953 G, K

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING AND APPLYING ADHESIVE TAPE OR THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1952 25 2. 28 23 2g 3 3/ I I0 I Inventor U 'eorge KLVIar/ea,

By i

Attorney March 10, 1953 G. K. CHARLES 2,630,933

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING AND APPLYING ADHESIVE TAPE OR THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1952 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIHHI lg I'lllll I nventor George KC/mfleaa 3W Attorney March 10, 1953 G. K. CHARLES 2,630,933

' APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING AND APPLYING ADHESIVE TAPE OR THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor 69029? K Char/e5 Attorney Patented Mar. 10, 1953 APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING AND APPLY- ING ADHESIVE TAPE OR THE LIKE George Kenneth Charles, Wincanton, England Application July 17, 1952, Serial No. 299,456 I In Great Britain October 19, 1951 The invention relates to apparatus for applying pressure-sensitive coated adhesive strip to packages and of the type comprising a pressure roller carried by a pivoted lever so that the roller is normally above a platform, and means for holding a pressure-sensitive adhesive strip in front of the roller so that when a package is propelled by hand along the platform it engages with the strip, forces it against the roller and depresses the roller below the platform, where'- by the strip is pressed by the roller on to the package, the strip being severed by contact with a serrated knife as the package completes its travel.

The lever has a return spring to enable it to return the roller to normal position ready for a subsequent operation.

In this known type of apparatus the strip is drawn from a spool during the travel of the package, the strip passing between suitable detent means to the aforesaid roller.

As the layers of strip on the spool tend to stick together, considerable force is required to pull the strip from the spool, and in use'of apparatus of the above type it is found that the consequent tension in the strip is such that the strip is frequently pulled off or slips on the package before severance.

With an apparatus of this type, serious difiiculties are encountered, namely, the tendency for the strip to be pulled off the package before severance owing to the undue tension in the strip required to pull strip from the spool; the tendency under high tension for the cutter to tear the strip so that a ragged or pronouncedly serrated end is left; the tendency for the strip guide plate to contact with the package after severance and before the package has passed off the pressure roller; and the tendency for the strip guide to bring the protruding strip to the rear instead of the front of the pressure roller on its return to normal position.

The invention consists in an improved apparatus of the type referred to embodying novel features adapted to cooperate so as to avoid the difficulties mentioned above.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of the apparatus with the parts in normal position, the section being on the line i-l, Figure 2.

Figures 2 and 3 are front and rear elevations, respectively, the casing being broken away in both figures, and the spool and holder being broken away in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side sectionalelevation on the lin 4-4, Figure 2.

2 Claims. (Cl. 21621) Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 1, but with the parts shown'in the position occupied ,jus prior to severance'of the strip. Q

Figures '7 and 6 are side views of the rocking plate and cam plate in different positions. Figures 6 and 9 are side views of the positions of strip and cutter in different positions.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are plans of portions of strip.

The apparatus illustrated by these drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate corresponding parts, comprises a package platform 1 having a slot 2 through which a lever 3 protrudes. The platform i forms a removable lid for a casing II; It supports a plate 13 which is screwed to'brackets 12, Figures 1, 2 and 3, formed on the underside of the platform 1. The lever 3 supports a pressure roller 5 of rubber, felt or other suitable resilient material, the roller being free to rotate on a stud 6 fixed to the lever 3. The lever 3 in its normal position, Figures 1,2 and 3, is practically upright. It is fixed on a fulcrum shaft 4 supported in a bearing boss 4|, Figure 3, on the plate [3. The upper end of the lever 3 is slightly curved forwardly so that the stud 6 of the pressure roller is forwardrelatively to the fulcrum shaft 4 for a purpose hereafter referred to. The lower end of the lever 3 carries a feeding roller I, preferably having a knurled periphery, the roller 1 being free to rotate on .a stud 8.

The lever 3 is held in its normal position against a rubber stop or buffer 40, Figure 1, on the plate 13 by means of a return spring 23, Figures 2, 3 and 4, one end of which is attachedflto a rocking plate 29 which is fixed to the fulcrum shaft 4, While the other end is attached to an adjusting screw 25 sliding in a hole in a stud 26 under the action of a nut 21. l

A guide plate 9 for pressure-sensitive adhesive strip 35 protrudes at its upper end through the slot 2 in the platform I. It is formed integrally with and at right angles to a plate 9 which is fixed to a shaft Id capable of oscillating .in a bearing boss 34, Figure 2, on the plate IS. A detent l4 presses the strip 35 against the guide plate 9. It is mounted to. oscillate on a pin l5 fixed to the plate 9 and is held resiliently against the strip 35 by a spring it, one end of which is attachedto the detent and the other endto, a lug l! on the plate 9. A small lever I B is secured to the detent Hand bears on the pin [5. The lever It enables thedetent M to be moved away from the guide plate 9 for a purpose re ferred to later on.

A cam plate 3| situated on theopposite side of the plate l3 to the guide plate 9, is fixed on the shaft IE1, as seen more clearly in Figure 4. A link rod 3i! has end pins 30' and 3! formed in the example shown by bending the ends at right angles.

The pin 35 engages in a cam slot 32 in the cam plate 3%, and the pin 3! is pivoted in the rocking plate 29. The plates 29 and 3! act as cranks. A spring 33 attached to the plate 3! and to the end 38 of the rod 36 tends to hold the end 30 against the end of the slot '32 as shown in Figure 4, but permits of relative movement of the end 30 in the cam slot 32 for a purpose referred to later.

A spool of pressure-sensitive adhesive strip 35 is mounted on a spool holder 35 which is free to rotate on a bolt 3'! on the plate 1'3.

Guide rollers 38 and 39 on the plates 13 and 9', respectively, are provided for the adhesive strip 35.

A thin steel serrated cutter IQ is screwed at its lower end to a rigid backing plate 2! which is fixed by screws 26 in the slotted end of a stud 2B fixed on the plate 53. The cutter is, being springy, tends to move away from the backing plate 2 l, its movement being limited by the head of a screw 22 which passes freely through a hole in the cutter 19.

In preparing the apparatus initially for operation, adhesive strip 35 is drawn by hand from the spool under the guide roller 38 round the knurled roller '7, under the guide roller 39, up the guide plate 9 between thedetent it and the guide plate, so that the end of the strip projects beyond the upper end of the guide plate and is approximately level with the centre of the pressure roller 5. To facilitate the threading of the strip between the detent Hi and the guide plate ii, the operator depresses the lever 18 which, bearing on the pin 15 as a fulcrum, withdraws the detent.

When a package 4! is propelled along the platform I it first engages with the adhesive strip 35 at the upper end of the guide plate 9 and' swings the guide plate about its fulcrum pin (8 until the projecting end of th strip is pressed by the package against the pressure roller 3. During this initial movement of the guide plate the cam plate 3| also moves Slightly, but the link rod 30 is not moved as its end 30 is free in the cam slot 32.

As soon as the pressure of the package on the pressure roller is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring 23, the lever 3 begins to move and rotates its fulcrum shaft 4 and consequently the rocking plate 29. The pressure roller 5 first rises slightly, being forward of a vertical centre line passing through the shaft 4. This initial rising of the pressure roller 5 ensures that the end of the strip 35 is pressed firmly into adherence with the package.

As the package M continues its travel on the platform l', the strip 35 is drawn by it to the cutter l9, as indicated in Figure 5, the guide plate 9 still being free to move under the slight pull of the strip. Immediately the strip 35 is over the cutter 19, the end 30' of the rod 3!! engaging with the adjacent end of the cam slot 32, Figure 6, causes a sharp movement of the cam plate 34, so that the guide plate 9 is suddenly depressed to bend the strip over the cutter l9, as indicated in Figure 6. The strip is first perforated neatly by the points of the teeth of the cutter. On further travel of the package and depression of the pressure roller, the strip draws the cutter is a ainst the rigid backing plate 2|, as indicated in Figure 9, so that the perforated strip is drawn down the cutter teeth and neatly cut by them between the perforations. Figure 10 shows a perforated portion of strip and Figure 11 the neatly severed edge as contrasted with the undesirable ragged or pronouncedly serrated edge indicated in Figure 12.

The continued movement of the package and consequently of the lever 3, results in the rocking plate 2s, rod 30 and cam plate 3! assuming the positions indicated in Figure 7, so that the guide plate 9 is retained depressed until th package has passed off the pressure roller 5 and the adherence of the severed position of strip to t package has been completed. This retention ensures that the guide plate 5! will not engage with and scrape the underside of the package.

Theends 3B, 3! of the link rod 39 in this position may be in alignment with the fulcrum shaft ill, that is on a dead centre, but as the package releases the pressure roller 5 and the return spring 23 begins to return the parts to normal position, the end 31.! of the rod 3d rides up the adjacent inclined edge of the cam slot 32, as indicated in Figure 8 so that it is free to slide towards the opposite end of th slot. The return of the guide plate 9 begins immediately as the spring 33 acts as a link between the end of the rod and plate 31. This ensures that the guide plate 9 and its protruding portion of strip shall not be overtaken by the returning pressure roller 5 and that the protrudin portion of strip will be arrested in front of and not behind the pressure roller.

During the depression of the pressure roller 5 and the lever 3 by the package 4! as above described, the lever 3 moves the feeding roller 1 towards the spool of strip 35 so that the loop of strip around the feeding roller is left slack. Consequently while the package M is drawing strip between the detent l4 and guide plate 9, there is no tension in the strip other than th slight tension required to overcome the friction of the detent and guide plate which is sufficient to ensure proper engagement with the cutter l9 and severance of the strip. Consequently, the tendency to pull the strip off the package hitherto encountered is avoided. The considerable tension required to pull the strip from the spool is effected on the return movement of the lever 3 under the action of the return spring 23 when the feeding roller 1 moving back engages with the strip. When this occurs the detent It prevents the strip being pulled down the guide plate 9, as the friction between the strip causes the detent to move towards the guide plate and grip the strip.

As the lever 3 is practically upright in its normal position and the roller 5 is considerably farther from the fulcrum 4 than the connection of the spring 23 to the plate 29 the force required to depress the lever 3 is comparatively light, and crushing of fragile packages is avoided.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that owing to the avoidance of undue tension in the adhesive strip during application to a package, slipping of the strip from the package is avoided; and in spite of the light tension the strip is drawn lightly to the cutter, sharply bent or drawn down to enable neat perforation to be effected before actual severance; the guide plate is prevented from scraping the package by being retained depressed until the package has passed over the pressure roller and application of strip to the package completed; and that the considerable tension required to draw strip from the spool is effected during the return of the pressure roller and strip guide to normal position.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for applying pressure-sensitive strip to packages of the type hereinb-efore referred to, comprising a slotted platform, a lever carrying a pressure roller above said platform, a pivoted guide plate and detent for supporting pressure-adhesive strip in front of said pressure roller for engagement by a package propelled along the platform, a serrated cutter below the platform, for the purpose of severing the strip drawn over it by the package as said package depresses said pressure roller and lever, a return spring for said lever, and a rotary holder for a spool of strip, said lever being mounted on a fulcrum situated intermediate of its ends and being provided with a feeding roller mounted on the opposite end of the lever to that carrying said pressure roller for the purpose of engaging with a loop of strip during the return movement of the lever to draw strip from a spool on said spool holder and leaving said loop slack during the operative movement of said lever.

2. An apparatus for applying pressure-sensitive strip to packages, as specified in claim 1, provided with a rocking plate fixed on the fulcrum shaft of the lever which carries the pressure roller, and a cam plate having a cam slot, said cam plate being fixed on the fulcrum shaft of the strip guide plate, the return spring for the pressure roller lever being attached to said rocking plate, a link rod having one end pivotally at! tached to said rocking plate and its other end engaging within the cam slot in said cam plate, and a spring connecting said other end to said cam plate, for the purposes of permitting initial movement of said guide plate relatively to the pressure roller under the thrust of a package, effecting sharp depression of the guide plate preparatory to severance of the strip by the cutter; rctention of the guide plate in its depressed condition until the package has passed over the pressure roller, and to effect return of the guide plate in advance of the pressure roller during the return thereof to normal position.

GEORGE KENNETH CHARLES.

REFERENCES CITED 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date Re. 22,418 Salfisberg Jan. 11, 1944 2,404,317 Salfisberg July 16, 1946 2,407,641 Anderson Sept. 17, 1946 2,512,579 Long June 20, 1950 2,515,130 Locke et al July 11, 1950 2,596,158 Lindsey May 13, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number Country Date 664,519 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1951 

